Since the country's independence in 1971, river flood is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh caused by bank overflow and a similar situation is observed during heavy rainfalls. It has experienced 17 damaging floods of vast magnitudes in 1974, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1998, 2002. The largest recorded flood in depth and duration of flooding in its history occurred in 1998 when about 70% of the country was underwater for several months. But since flooding is a natural phenomenon, which cannot be prevented and complete flood control is not in the interest of most farmers, so Bangladesh tries to deal with flood and disaster with structural and non-structural measures to minimize flood damage, rather than preventing it.
National and regional highways and railways, to the extent feasible, have been raised above flood level. River maintenance through dredging are also going on in limited areas due to the high cost. Efforts are continued for erosion control on medium and small rivers. Flood control, drainage and/or irrigation projects have also been constructed on a majority of the country’s net cultivated land and flood control and drainage structures have been provided in major cities to make them flood free.
Similarly, flood forecasting and warning system has successfully contributed to the improvement of the capacity for flood preparedness and mitigation/minimization of flood losses. School buildings are so constructed that they can be used as flood-cum-cyclone shelter especially in the coastal zone with highest risk of flood and storm surge.
Efforts have been made to provide vulnerable communities with mitigation by raising homesteads, schools and marketplaces in low-lying areas so that peasants can save their livestock and foodstuff. Disaster management awareness, developing more effective disaster management plans and evacuation and relief practices are also contributing to the minimization of flood-related disasters.
Like Bangladesh, Pakistan is also one of the most naturally disaster–prone countries in the world. Pakistan has also been hit repeatedly by severe floods in 1973, 1992, 2006, 2010, and is still experiencing floods every year resulting in great losses - both material and human.
Not only floods, Pakistan has also confronted a series of disasters in the recent past: the 2005 earthquake, Hunza landslide, air blue crash besides terrorism and political uncertainty which led to badly affecting the government and its institutions' capacity.
Unfortunately, before 2005 earthquake Pakistan didn’t have any organization that could cope with natural disasters. Then after 58 years of independence, Government of Pakistan finally realized its need and established an authority for disaster management. But due to a lack of technical knowledge and manpower, the authority is yet incapable of coping with disasters like floods. Whereas the army can manage war and law and order situation, it can only respond to post disaster phase for rescue, relief and recovery on request. But in Pakistan we misuse the army in disaster management which indicates the failure of National Disaster Management Authority itself.
Pakistan has so far failed to develop proper strategies and planning to counter floods miserably and the construction of new dams like Kala Bagh is also quite expensive, time taking and even controversial in Pakistan. This voluntary or forced negligence is resulting in great life and financial losses every year.
Not only is the Government of Pakistan, or National Disaster Management Authority to be blamed, the media and weather forecasting departments have also miserably failed to create awareness in and warning the public about the natural disasters like floods.
For instance, I have recently seen a talk show on one of the leading private news channel of Pakistan, discussing whether floods are a curse and God’s punishment instead of coming up with scientific and practical solutions to disasters like floods.
Now, my objective of comparing Bangladesh’s planning to counter disasters like floods with Pakistan is to emphasize that if Bangladesh can take initiatives and plans even with limited resources and only within 44 years of its independence, then it’s better late than never for Pakistan as well.
Pakistan needs to take structural and non-structural measures on an emergency basis for flood management and other natural disasters. It has been proved that non-structural measures like creating awareness amongst masses have significant effect on flood damage minimization. Flood and disaster cannot be fully controlled or preveneted but damages can be reduced significantly by integration of measure and co-ordination of concerned departments. An effective and timely flood forecasting and early warning, mitigation measures, both structural and non-structural, can save lives and properties, thus minimizing the damages in flood-prone country like Pakistan.